Hughton has no regrets about FA Cup team selection

Chris Hughton has no regrets about his FA Cup team selection after Albion exited the competition at non-league Lincoln City 3-1 on Saturday.

Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer, now a pundit on Match of The Day, was critical of sides who played weakened teams and exited the competition in the fourth round.

Hughton made nine changes but Brighton were not the only side to go out to lower opposition as Leeds were beaten 1-0 at Sutton United and Newcastle lost 3-0 at Oxford.

Hughton, who also made 11 changes when Albion beat MK Dons in the third round, was asked if he'd had to lift spirits following the loss and said: "With some of the other results on the same day and the next day, it shows what can happen.

"I did make wholesale changes and I still would if I could turn the clock back. We still put out a side good enough to win the game and for half of it, I didn't see that result coming.
"But if we make those same mistakes on Thursday, we won't win that game.

"The players realise it was just individual errors. It is what it is and we have a big period of games coming up."

Striker Glenn Murray added the cup defeat has been forgotten about and full focus is now on the league campaign.

He said: "We’re over it, it’s done and dusted. We never set out to win the FA Cup this season, don’t get me wrong, it’s always nice to have a cup run for the players and fans, but our main aim this season is the Championship.

“We have no more excuses or extra games, it’s fully about the Championship now.

“There’s some huge games coming up and we’re aware of that. We just need to keep doing what we did in the first half of the season and build on that platform we’ve given ourselves."

Hughton has been impressed with tomorrow's opponents Huddersfield so far this season. Albion won 1-0 at home in September and on the job David Wagner has done at the Terriers, Hughton said: "I'm very impressed, not only with the way that they play but the recruitment has been very good.

"And they've come again. It's very difficult to sustain form for long periods of time and when you have a dip, which every team has at some stage, you either come through it or you don't.

"They've come through it and will be better for it and I expect them to be right up there."